Ironwood Electronics
Ironwood Electronics has been the go-to source for advanced adapters, sockets, and modules. Our adapters convert package and pitch between devices, our modules offer complete fully tested assemblies for component replacement and upgrade, and our sockets allow for complete component and assembly testing - from new silicone characterization and validation, all the way thru burn-in and high volume automated testing – always with the highest performance and lowest possible footprint in the industry. Ironwood brings a combined knowledge of hundreds of years of engineering and manufacturing expertise, all under one roof in our state of the art 25,000 sq. foot facility just outside Minneapolis, Minnesota. Combined with our recent acquisition of the Grypper socket line, our continuous new product development demonstrates our on-going commitment to both our customers and the industry we serve.
- 800-404-0204
952-229-8200 - 952-229-8201
- info@ironwoodelectronics.com
- 1335 Eagandale Court
Eagan, MN 55121
United States
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QFN/QFP35 Sockets
Test sockets are designed for testing today’s high-performance QFN, QFP, DFN and SOIC devices. For development, characterization, at speed burn-in, and low volume production manual testing.
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GHz Elastomer Sockets
Ironwood’s GHz BGA & QFN/MLF sockets are ideal for prototyping and testing almost any BGA or QFN device application. These ZIF sockets provide excellent signal integrity yet remain cost effective. Innovative elastomer interconnect technology that delivers low signal loss up to >40GHz and supports BGA or QFN/MLF pitches down to 0.3mm was utilized in these sockets. GHz BGA sockets are mechanically mounted over a target system’s BGA lands using mounting and alignment holes at proper locations (page 2 of the individual socket drawing shows recommended PCB layout information). These low-profile sockets are only 2.5 mm per side larger than actual IC packages (industry’s smallest footprint). They support IC devices with body sizes ranging from 55mm down to 1mm. Larger body sizes may require a backing plate. If the backside of the target PCB contains capacitors and resistors, a custom insulation plate with cavities cut for those components can be designed. This insulation plate sandwiches between the backing plate and target PCB.
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BGA Sockets
Ironwood has the most comprehensive collection of BGA (Ball Grid Array) sockets that can be used for prototype application, silicon validation, system development, thermal characterization, burn-in application, functional production test, etc. BGA socket can be defined as an electromechanical device, which provides removable interface between IC package and system circuit board with minimal effect on signal integrity. BGA sockets for prototype applications, silicon validations, system development applications uses low cost elastomer contact technology.
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Aspen Sockets
Ironwood Electronics’ Aspen line of sockets are designed in standardized stepped footprint configurations, incorporating industry standard high performance spring pins. Sockets can be designed to work with any type of IC package; BGA – LGA – QFN – DFN and even leaded devices where you have minimal space to fit a socket in place of your device to allow fast, easy testing and development.
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Surface Mount Package Emulation
SMT Adapters
Ironwood’s SMT package emulation adapters are often called “surface mount feet” or “emulator bases”. These adapters provide access and interconnections to surface mount lands. Typically, the adapters are soldered to the target board in place of the IC device and provide a pluggable array of pins interface for sockets, probing adapters, package converters, and even board-to-board connections. These adapters are often utilized as a base for many of our probing adapter products. We constantly innovate to provide the most reliable, cost effective interfaces available. For example, many of our PLCC, QFP and SOIC emulation bases use our proprietary shaped solder techniques, replacing expensive, and often fragile, J-lead and Gull Wing leads. Shaped solder parts are easily fluxed and reflowed onto the target system. Our emulator bases can present either a male or female interface at 1.27mm or 1mm or 0.8mm pitch gold plated array pins for pluggable connection.
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Open Top BGA Sockets
Ironwood has the most comprehensive collection of open top BGA and QFN sockets that can be used for qualification application, silicon FIB testing, system development, thermal characterization, burn-in application, etc. IC socket can be defined as an electromechanical device, which provides removable interface between IC package and system circuit board with minimal effect on signal integrity. Typical packages include BGA, LGA, QFN, QFP, WLCSP, etc. Open top allows access to the top side of IC. Below is an example BGA socket that uses low cost elastomer contact technology.
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DDR
These sockets are designed for standard DDR & GDDR type devices, including the newer configurations.
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Silver Ball Matrix Sockets
SM Contact is a unique contact that has precise silver balls held together by a proprietary conductive formulation. These conductive columns (diameter optimized for 50 ohm impedance) are suspended in a non-conductive flexible elastomer substrate with a patented solid core for enhanced durability and reliable performance over time, temperature and cycles. This flexible substrate is very compliant and resilient and enables the conductive columns to revert back to original shape when the force is removed. Solutions are available for 0.25mm to 1.27mm LGA, BGA, QFN, CSP, POP, WLP and other packages. The silver ball matrix contact technology is also available with a protective plunger matrix (a gold plated copper cylinder) that sits on top of the conductive columns. This plunger matrix protects the conductive column from contamination from various solder ball interfaces. A quickly replaceable plunger matrix enables minimal downtime during final production test. The product family code for this line of sockets is SMP.
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Custom Engineering Services
Ironwood Electronics has the largest, most experienced engineering staff in our industry. Quick turn custom solutions are our specialty, with some custom solutions available as fast as 1 week. Our engineers utilize advanced tools to design precision and quality into each product. We are dedicated to providing high quality services that meet or exceed customer requirements.
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Grypper G80 / G80 LIF
*Package-size PCB footprint: Since the PCB footprint of G80 is identical to the package, only one PCB design is required, enabling a seamless transition from test and validation through production and reducing overall cost of test*Low insertion force: Unique contact design reduces the insertion force required to insert and retain higher-ball-count packages safely and securely within the test socket*No lid required: The package snaps directly without a lid, enabling easy probing, scoping and troubleshooting the topside of the device*Excellent signal performance: A short signal path achieves low inductance and low insertion loss, providing a nearly invisible electrical connection
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Smart Sockets
Ironwood Electronics extended its high performance socket product line with smart features. Sockets are typically rated for 2K to 500K cycles. How do we know if the sockets are used for 100K or 200K insertions? Solution is electronic chip insertion counter. Our sockets can be integrated with electronics counter into the compression mechanism of the socket lid. A push button is exposed on the compression plate. Every time a chip is compressed, push button is actuated which in turn activates the electronic circuitry inside the lid. These activations are counted by the counter IC and displayed in LCD. Let’s say a contact element is rated for 2K insertions. After 2K insertions, this contact element will be replaced by new contact element. Now, the counter has to start the counting from the beginning. To achieve this function, a reset option is included in the electronics circuitry. When reset is actuated, LCD display will go to “0”.
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Grypper G35 / G40
*Package-size PCB footprint: Since the PCB footprint of Grypper is identical to the package, only one PCB design is required, enabling a seamless transition from test and validation through production and reducing overall cost of test*Low insertion force: Unique contact design reduces the insertion force required to insert and retain higher-ball-count packages safely and securely within the test socket*Oxide cutting wipe action: The contact design wipes the side of the solder ball during insertion, breaking through solder oxides ensuring a good electrical connection between contact and solder ball*Signal integrity: A short signal path achieves low inductance and low insertion loss, providing a nearly invisible electrical connection*Test socket has solder balls attached: The G40 contacts have solder balls reflowed onto the contacts to ensure reliable solder volume at the PCB to test socket solder interface.
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BGA SMT Adapters
Giga-snaP™
Giga-snaP™ 0.75, 0.8, 1.0, and 1.27mm pitch BGA Surface Mount Feet Adapter line of products provide an inexpensive and reliable method for attaching BGA chips to target board. The product line consists of patented female sockets with machined pins epoxy over-molded into an assembly that matches a particular BGA pattern. The epoxy over-molded female BGA socket is soldered to a PCB using standard soldering methods. A corresponding male pin BGA adapter, to which the user attaches their BGA chip, is plugged into the female socket on the board thus interconnecting the chip and the system is ready to go. The SMT adapters have the same solder ball types as the chips they are emulating. These adapters have less than half of the insertion force of competitive adapters, shorter electrical path for highest speed, and can be solder reflowed numerous times. A complete description and drawings of Giga-snaP™ 0.75, 0.8, 1.0, and 1.27mm pitch BGA Surface Mount Feet Adapters can be found at the tables shown below.
